i have a great global panel from singapore, the dean of the school of public policy, from paris, dominique moisi, one of france's great public intellectuals. in tel a viv, he's a senior correspondent and here in new york we have rula. >>> brill. she has both israeli and italian citizenship and she has lived and worked a as righter and journalist in both country. dominique, let me start with you. france had a great love affair with barack obama. has it continued? do the french -- are the french still overwhelmingly obama? >> definitely, but i think for different reasons. in 2008 the french would have voted for obama out of hope. in 2012, they would still vote in the huge majority for obama, but more out of fear of a romney victory and of a return of an america they used to dislike. >> republicans have vennially been quite popular. they've been regarded as pro-free trade, hard headed. if you thing of ronald reagan and george bush senior, clearly the elites preferred them. what's the mood right now among its elite? >> well, let me emphasize one point. both romney and obama will be acceptable